Thursday, June 21, 2012

I am officially leaving Misrad Hachinuch [the Ministry of Education] at the end of this school year. It's not really built/designed for new therapists, especially those who weren't trained in the system here.
I worked in the school system in NYC, and it's very, VERY different. For starters, not every kid in special ed is eligible for every service the school provides. There is also a list of students who are supposed to receive each service, and they have become eligible for that service after having an evaluation by that kind of therapist. Once the student becomes eligible for that service, he/she is mandated to receive that service for a specified amount of time, a specific number of times per week. If the student does not receive services in the school because there is no therapist who can treat the student, the Board of Ed (BOE) sends home a letter that gives permission for the student to be treated outside of the school, in a private clinic that has an agreement with the BOE.

There is also an expectation that therapists act as teachers and many principals want the therapist to treat at least the entire class as a group once a week-- problem, when you have two hours for a class and 6 kids in the class who all need individual therapy or max in a pair. The kids can be treated in a group as a class, but it might not be as effective and won't address the students needs the best (note: I am talking about students who are in separate special ed schools because they cannot be in mainstream schools, either part-time or even in self-contained classes in a general ed school).

About Me

I am a "young Jewish professional" originally from NYC in my 20's who made aliyah in December 2009.
This blog started out as a trip blog from my post-graduate school trip to Israel and evolved into my aliyah blog.
It's all the frustrations and good things that happen and go along in this crazy process...
I really don't know how this is going to turn out, all I know is what's happened so far.
Leave a comment, let me know what you think, offer ideas/tips, etc!